Practice drum pad



Dec. 10, 1963 J. GIARRATANO 3,113,480

PRACTICE DRUM PAD Filed Jan. 24, 1962 Joseph G lurrcro no INVENTOR AGENT.

r hlihidd Patented Dec. 19, 1963 3,113,480 PRACTHIE DRUM PAD Joseph Giarratano, 36 50th St., Weehawken, NJ, Filed Jan. 24, 1962, Ser. No. 168,406 6 Claims. (Cl. 84-411) My present invention relates to a practice pad for drummers and, more particularly, to a portable device designed to simulate a set of drums for familiarizing a drummer with the technique of playing a plurality of drums in their usual orientation in a set.

Practice devices for drummers have been proposed heretofore wherein a single practice surface can be disposed either in a substantially horizontal plane or in a plane relatively inclined thereto. Such devices were often unsatisfactory since a set of drums, such as a combination of a snare drum with a pair of auxiliary drums (e.g. a small and a large torn-tom), cannot readily be simulated by a single practice surface.

Accordingly, it is the principal object of the instant invention to provide a portable practice drum pad having a plurality of independent practice surfaces.

Another object of this invention is to provide a folding drumming-practice device having a plurality of foldable sections to expose selected ones of a plurality of independent surfaces.

Yet another object of my invention is to provide a practice drum pad of the character referred to with means for preventing the marring of surfaces upon which the device is to be set without, however, significantly increasing the bulk of the folded unit.

These and further objects, which will become apparent subsequently, have been realized in a practice drum pad comprising, according to the invention, at least two and preferably three hin-gedly interconnected sections having respective generally fiat upper faces each provided with a layer of resilient material constituting the practice surfaces of the device. The undersides of these sections are provided with respective cushion members in generally complementary or at least relatively offset configurations whereby the members support the unfolded device upon the surface of a desk, table, chair or other body of suitable height. The device is folded into a portable unit with the undersides of the two sections in back-to-back relationship, whereupon the complementary configured cushion members intenfit so that the compact unit has a total thickness less than the sum of the thicknesses of the sections. Since the folded practice pad now has a resilient layer upon its lower surface as well as upon its upper surface, the latter may be employed for drum practice in the manner of a conventional single-surface pad while the former cushions the unit without marring the support.

Whereas the invention has been outlined generally with respect to a practice pad having only two sections, the principles advanced are equally applicable to the more customary case of three sections, arrayed in a generally L-shaped configuration, adapted to simulate the usual set of three drums disposed in front and to the side of a drummer. When three sections are employed, the third is hingedly secured to one of the other two for articulation about an axis perpendicular to the axis of articulation of the first two sections. The underside of the third section is formed with cushioning means, say, a layer of foam rubber, adapted to support the unit when the three sections are folded into stacked relationship, while the upper surface of the third section bears a resilient practice layer similar to those provided on the other two sections. These layers of resilient material may be formed from gum rubber or some other substance forming a wear-resistant impact surface but having resilience characteristics resembling those of conventional drum heads.

According to a more specific feature of the invention, the several sections are of generally rectangular configuration and formed from a block of wood, the hinges interconnecting the sections being arranged along adjacent edges. While the upper (i..e. impact) surfaces of the sections may also be of rectangular configuration, I prefer to provide the blocks with disk-shaped layers of gum rubber or the like, so that they resemble circular drum heads. I also prefer to provide means (e.g. mating snap fasteners) along the mutually juxtaposed edges of the sections in the unfolded condition of the device for releasably locking these sections against displacement during the practice session. Moreover, one or more of the sections may be provided with a preferably removable prop for holding them in an inclined position during practice.

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the instant invention will become more readily apparent from the following description, reference being made to the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an unfolded three-section practice dium pad according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a bottom perspective view of the pad in its completely folded condition;

FIG. 3 is a top perspective view of the pad partially unfolded to expose two practice surfaces; and

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV of FIG. 3.

In the drawing, 1 show a practice drum pad of L- shaped configuration, comprising a first section 10, a second section 2t and a third section 3i Each section is provided on its respective upper surface 11, 21, 31 with an impact-resistant resilient layer 12, 22, 32 (e.g. of gum rubber) which may be secured to the wood body 13, 23, 33 of the section by an adhesive, brads or similar means. The generally rectangular sections are interconnected by rneans of hinges 41, 42 disposed along the mutually adjacent edges of sections 10, 2d and 20, 30', respectively. Hinge 41, which like hinge 42 may be of the piano type, has its axis substantially coplanar with the undersides of the blocks 13 and 23, while hinge 42 has its axis extending perpendicularly to that of hinge 41 but coplanar with the upper surfaces of the blocks 23 and 33; It will thus be immediately apparent that the three sections -103t) may be folded into a compact unit (FIG. 2) wherein the sections are stacked regardless of the thickness of the blocks 13-33. In this connection it is pointed out that a particularly suitable dimensioning of the device will be such that the practice surface has an area upwardly of about 1200* crn. or square inches, while the thickness of the blocks may range between approximately 20 mm. and 50 mm., i.e. to 2".

Each of the sections lit-6t} is provided with cushioning means on its underside to prevent the marring of the surface whereon the device is positioned. As can be seen from FIGS. 1 and '4, the undersides of sections 14) and 2 9 are provided with interr'itting strips 14, 14" and 24 of foam rubber to enable these sections to be folded back-to-back without increasing the bulk of the folded unit. In this connection it should be noted that, while section 1% is shown to be formed with two spaced-apart stripsld' and M of the cushioning material and sect-ion 24) is provided with the single strip 24 received between them in the folded condition of the device, this arrangement is merely exemplary and comparable results may be obtained by the use of, for example, complementary arrays of feet provided on the undersides of the sections it? and 20. The underside of section 34B is formed over most of its surface with a cushion layer 34 (FIG. 4),

also of foam rubber, whereon the unit rests when completely folded.

A strap 43 is secured to the pad section and provided with a fastening member 44, e.g. a snap fastener, engageable with a mating member 45 (FIG. 1) on section 30 for retaining the sections when the latter are disposed in their folded condition FIG. 2). Since only the practice surface of layer 1 2 is exposed when the folded pad is set on its base 34, the unit can be employed in this condition for drum pnactice when simulation of but a single drum surface is required. Since it is frequently desirable for the practice surface to be inclined, a prop 46, which when unused is secured to a side of section *30 by means of the mating snap fasteners 47a, 47b, adapted to be removably secured to the underside of this section. To this end, the prop 46 is formed with a bore 48a into which a peg 48b, projecting from the underside of section 30, is tightly fitted for securing the prop 46 in its working position. The prop 46 also serves to position only the section 30 at :an incline to the horizontal (FIG. 1) when the device is completely unfolded and to support this section (FIGS. 3 and 4) when the device is partly unfolded to expose two practice surfaces, i.e. the surfaces of layers 22 and 32. To protect the supporting surface when the prop is in use, the base of the latter also is provided with a foam rubber cushion 49.

A pair of snap-fastener halves 50a and 5012 are provided on the hingedly connected lateral sides of sections 10 and 20, respectively, While a further pair of fastener halves 51a and 51b, are disposed along the hingedly connected sides of sections and '30, respectively, for locking the device in its completely open condition.

The device described above is believed to admit of many modifications and variations Within the skill of a person skilled in the art, such modifications and variations being deemed to be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

Iclaim:

1. A practice drum pad comprising at least two bodies having respective generally fiat impact surfaces facing upwardly in an operative position, a resilient layer exposed in said operative position on each of said surfaces, and hinge means interconnecting said bodies for enabling one of said bodies to be swung from its operative position into a stacked position atop the other of said bodies.

2. A practice drum pad comprising at least two bodies having respective generally flat impact surfaces facing upwardly in an operative position, \a resilient layer exposed in said operative position on each of said surfaces, hinge means interconnecting said bodies for enabling one of said bodies to be swung from its operative position into a stacked position atop the other of said bodies, and respective cushion means partly covering the side of each of said bodies opposite its impact surface, said cushion means interfitting upon relative displacement of said bodies into said stacked position.

3. A practice drum pad comprising three bodies having respective generally flat impact surfaces facing upwardly in an operative position, a resilient layer exposed in said operative position on each of said surfaces, first hinge means interconnecting a first and a second one of said bodies for enabling said first body to be swung from its operative position into a stacked position atop said second body, and second hinge means interconnecting said second body and the third one of said bodies for enabling said third body to be swung from its operative position into a stacked position underneath said second body, said first hinge means having an axis substantially on the level of said impact surfaces of said first and second bodies, said second hinge means having an axis substantially on the level of the sides of said second and third bodies opposite said impact surfaces thereof.

4. A practice drum pad comprising three bodies having respective generally flat impact surfaces facing upwardly in an operative position, a resilient layer exposed in said operative position on each of said surfaces, first hinge means interconnecting a first and a second one of said bodies for enabling said first body to be swung from its operative position into a stacked position atop said second body, second hinge means interconnectihg said second body and the third one of said bodies for enabling said third body to be swung from its operative position into a stacked position underneath said second body, said first hinge means having an axis substantially on the level of said impact surfaces of said first and second bodies, said second hinge means having an axis substantially on the level of the sides of said second and third bodies opposite said impact surfaces thereof, and respective cushion means covering at least part of the side of each of said bodies opposite its impact surface, the cushion means of said second and third bodies interfitting in the stacked positions thereof.

5. A practice drum pad comprising three bodies having respective generally fiat impact surfaces facing upwardly in an operative position, a resilient layer exposed in said operative position on each of said surfaces, first hinge means interconnecting a first and a second one of said bodies for enabling said first body to be swung from its operative position into a stacked position atop said second body, second hinge means interconnecting said second body and the third one of said bodies for enabling said third body to be swung from its operative position into a stacked position underneath said second body, said first hinge means having an axis substantially on the level of said impact surfaces of said first and second bodies, said second hinge means having an axis substantially on the level of the sides of said second and third bodies opposite said impact surfaces thereof, one of said positions and a prop removably secured to the side of said first body opposite its impact surface, said prop being dimensioned to support said first body with its impact surface inclined to the horizontal in the operative position of all three bodies and with its impact surface substantially horizontal in the stacked position of said third body only.

6. A practice drum pad comprising three bodies having respective generally fiat impact surfaces facing upwardly in an operative position, a resilient layer exposed in said operative position on each of said surfaces, first hinge means interconnecting a first and a second one of said bodies for enabling said first body to be swung from its operative position into a stacked position atop said second body, second hinge means interconnecting said second body and the third one of said bodies for enabling said third body to be swung from its operative position into a stacked position underneath said second body, said first hinge means having an axis substantially on the level of said impact surfaces of said first and second bodies, said second hinge means having an axis substantially perpendicular to the axis of said first hinge means and substantially on the level of the sides of said second and third bodies opposite said impact surfaces thereof, and respective cushion means covering at least part of the side of each of said bodies opposite its impact surface, the cushion means of said second and third bodies interfitting in the closed position thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 716,074 Magic Dec. 16, 1902 1,954,402 Culp et al. Apr. 10, 1934 2,287,183 Lively June 23, 1942 2,722,860 Pace Nov. 8, 1955 OTHER REFERENCES New Ludwig Practice Pad, The Music Trade Review, Oct. 4, 1924, page 43. 

1. A PRACTICE DRUM PAD COMPRISING AT LEAST TWO BODIES AVING RESPECTIVE GENERALLY FLAT IMPACT SURFACES FACING UPWARDLY IN AN OPERATIVE POSITION, A RESILIENT LAYER EXPOSED IN SAID OPERATIVE POSITION ON EACH OF SAID SURFACES, AND HINGE MEANS INTERCONNECTING SAID BODIES FOR ENABLING ONE OF SAID BODIES TO BE SWUNG FROM ITS OPERATIVE POSITION INTO A STACKED POSITION ATOP THE OTHER OF SAID BODIES. 